Experiments in Design-Based Learning - The Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking

The Experiments in Design-based Learning group is comprised of Tulane University faculty and staff members with teaching responsibilities, who are interested in using design thinking in their teaching or research.

This group was born out of the Faculty Learning Communities program at Tulane’s Center for Engaged Learning and Teaching.

What Do We Do?

We host meetings for like-minded individuals to share many design and design thinking methods, and provide some historical context for design thinking.

We discuss how different design thinking approaches and mindsets can be introduced into classes.

Together we experiment with ways these approaches and mindsets can be applied in a faculty member's work.

We support the implementation of pedagogical experiments in design thinking, by helping create a ‘design thinking plan’ and suggesting and helping to create useful resources.

We also aim to disseminate these experiments within the design and design thinking world, and in various disciplines via formal and informal publications.

Community Members

We are currently working with the following Tulane faculty and staff members who are ‘experimenting with design thinking.

Active members with experiments in progress or coming up

Ruth Carlitz, Political Science
Marie Dahleh, Mathematics
Mary Glavan, English
Mallory Monaco Caterine, Classical Studies
Deniz Karakas, Art

Interested faculty members:

Alessandra Bazzano, Public Health
Maria Delouise, Education
Halima Leak Francis, Public Administration
Ehab Meselhe, River-Coastal Science and Engineering
Katherine Raymond, Civil Engineering
Leslie Scott, Theatre and Dance
Tom Sherry, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Rafe Steinhauer, Design Thinking

University Staff members:

Experiments in Design-based Learning News

Design thinking in Applied Math Education

A college student sits in an Applied Math class waiting for the lecture to begin. As the professor introduces the three guests who were expected to talk about design thinking, the lights flicker. “OMG what’s going on,” cries one of…

Screenshot of students presenting on zoom.

Learning Roman Fables with design thinking

In Spring 2020, Dr. Mallory Monaco Caterine challenged her students to create an inclusive, accessible Classically-based curriculum for New Orleans youth using the tools of design thinking. The seven students in her “Roman Fables” course spent the semester building their…

Acknowledgements

This project is made possible with the support of Tulane’s Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning.

Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel smiling and sitting in front of trees.

Questions?

Interested in joining or learning more about our Experiments in Design-based Learning group?
Contact Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel at lnoel2@tulane.edu.
Reach out to us to see how we can support you!